Here we go! England star leaves the Premier League for Saudi gold
The loudest transfer saga of Aston Villa's summer has reached its conclusion.
Details: Fabrizio Romano has delivered his famous here we go: Al-Hilal have agreed all the details of the deal to sign Ollie Watkins. Aston Villa have accepted the final bid worth €58.4 million plus €2 million in add-ons for the English striker, giving the green light for the player to travel to Saudi Arabia this week.
The Saudi giants had four previous bids rejected, with the latest around £45 million, but they kept coming back. Watkins, who agreed personal terms long ago and will reportedly earn around $15 million per year, openly pushed for the move: the 30-year-old skipped the humiliating 0-4 defeat at Brighton, after which he returned to the squad and apologized. Villa only sanctioned the sale after securing a replacement, with the club deep in talks for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson.
The striker leaves Birmingham as a modern-day club legend. It's worth noting that Watkins had a contract with Villa until 2028, and last season he helped the team win the Europa League.
Reminder: Strike at Villa Park! Watkins refuses to play and skips the Brighton humiliation.
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
